Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-12-01

surveyors OF the Connecticut Company
arrived In 1875. FROM al early day
Washington, Jefferson and other lead
ing statesmen had regarded the mouth
Of the Cuyahoga as an important COM
mercial position,
The first permanent settlement was
made at Cleveland In I796. In Septem-
Der and October the "Connecticut Com
panyn surveying corps under General
Cleveland, laid out the city, and quilted
the place on the 18th Of October, leav-
ing Mr.. Job V. Styles and family, and
Mr.. Edward Paine, who were the only
persons that passed the winter In the
city as 1t now Is. The nearest white
settlement west was at the mouth Of
the river Raison, south or east at Fort
Mcintosh, and northeast of Conneaut.
A STORY OF HARDsHIPs.
The family that wintered at Conneaut
suffered severely from cold and hunger.
This was the family Of Judge James
Kingsbury, who arrived at Conneaut
in 1895 with his family, shortly after
the surveying party, and wintered in a
cabin at Conneaut, which stood on the
spot now covered by the waters Of the
lake. The story of their sufferings is
given pathetically, in Howe:
"Being compelled by business to
leave in the fall for the State of New
York, with hope of a speedy return
to his family, the Judge was attacked
by a severe fit of sickness, confining
him to his bed until the setting in of
winter. AS soon as able he proceeded
on his return as far as Buffalo; where
he hired an Indian to guide him
through the wilderness. At Presque
Isle, (Eriel anticipating the wants of
his family, he purchased twenty pounds
of flour. In crossing Elk creek on the
Ice, he disabled his horse, left him in
the snow, and mounting his flour on
his own back, pursued his way, filled
with gloomy forebodings in relation to
the fate of his family. On his arrival
late one evening, his worst apprehen-
sions were more than realized in a
scene agonizing to the husband and
father. Stretched on her cot, lay the
partner of his cares who had followed
him through all the dangers and hard
ships of the wilderness, without repin-
ing, pale and emaciated, reduced by
meagre famine to the last stages in
which life can be supported and near
the mother, on little pallet, were the
remains of his youngest child, born in
his absence, who had Just expired for
the want of that nourishment; which
the mother, deprived of sustenance,
was unable to give. Shut up by a
gloomy wilderness, she was far distapt
alike from the aid or sympathy of
| friends, filed with anxiety for an
absent husband, suffering with want,
and destitute of necessary assistance,
and her children expiring around her
with hunger"
Judge Kingsbury held several i'm
portant and judicial trusts afterwards,
and died at Newburgh. He was the
first to thrust a sickle into the first
wheat field planted on the soil of the
Reserve. His wife was inferred at
Cleveland about the year 1843. The
fate of her child-the first white child
born on the Reserve, starved to death
far want of nourishment, will not soon
be forgotted.n
THE FIRST YEAR IN CLEVELAND.
The name Cuyahoga was given to
the river, on account of its sinuosity,
the word signifying crooked" The
surveying party, on reaching the Re-
serve the following season, 1897, again
made Cleveland their headquarters
Early this year Elijah Gum and Judge
Kingsbury removed here from Con-
neaut with their families, and, in the
fall, the latter removed to Newburgh.
The little colony was increased also by
the arrival of Major Lorenzo Carter and |
Ezekiel Hawley with their families in
1898; Rodolphus Edwards and Ma
thaniel Doane with their families set
tied in Cleveland. To family show the |
difficulty of travelling at that time, it is
stated that DIR. Doane was ninety-two
days on his journey from Chatham,
Conn. In January, 1893, Mr.. Doane
moved to Doane's Corners; and from
that time to April 1800-a space of
fifteen months-Major Carter's family
was the only white family in Cleve-
land. In 1900, several settlers came,
and from this time the town slowly
progressed.
THE FIRST BALL AND MUSTER.
The first ball in Cleveland was on the
4th of July, 1901. M. Barr, in his
famous sBarr Manuscript" says: "The
company consisted of about thirty of
both sexes. Mr.. jones' proficiency on
the violin won his great favor. Not
withstanding the dancers had rough
puncheon floor, and no better beverage
to enliven their spirits than whisky,
sweetened with maple sugar. yet it is
doubtful If the anniversary of Ameri-
can Independence was ever celebrated
in Cleveland by a more joyful and
harmonious company, than those who
danced the 'scamper-down,' 'duble-
shuttle western swing and half
moon fortysix years ago in the log
cabin of Major Carter.n
The first militia muster in Cuyahoga
county was held on the 10th of June,
1906, at Doane's Corners. The survey
ing party being at Cleveland, and many
strangers also, this event attracted
much attention. Never had so many
whites been collected together in this
vicinity as on this occasion. The mill
tary marched and countermarched to
the lively roll of the drum of Joseph
Burke, who had been drum-major dur
ing the Revolution, and the soul-stirring
strains of the fife of Lewis Dill. Yam
kee Doodle Hail Columbia and
Who's Afraid were among the tunes
that aroused the martial spirit of many
gallant heart, as he welded, perhaps,
some ancient relic of the Revolution on
his shoulders"
GARFIELD ON THE PIONEERS.
BY the close of the year 1900, there
were thirty-two settlements on the